Exhibit features Jewish history in Aurora

Jewish pioneers began arriving in Aurora in the 1850s and established the first synagogue in 1904, making them among the earliest founders of the city. Jewish history and culture in Aurora will be the subject of an Aurora Historical Society exhibit opening this weekend.

The exhibit, featuring artifacts, ritual items and photos, will open with a reception from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 20, at the Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place, Aurora.

The ladies of Temple B'nai Israel will provide refreshments. Cindy Michelassi, a Chicago-area rabbinical assistant from Aurora and singer with a large repertoire of Jewish music, will entertain.

The exhibit will be the 10th in the Flavors of Aurora: Stirred, Not Shaken series of ethnic tributes created by the historical society. The series began during the 175th anniversary of Aurora in 2012 and has included Luxembourger, Romanian, German, Irish, Italian, Greek, African American, Hispanic and South Asian cultures.

After the opening, the exhibit will be open noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays to Saturdays through June 4. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. Street parking is available and the first hour of parking in the Stolp Parking Garage is free, $1 per hour thereafter.

For information, visit aurorahistory.net or AuroraHistory on Facebook.